Polarimetric Imaging Through Aerosols

SY Technology, Inc. proposes to develop an imaging system to aid the warfighter and civilian firefighters to see through battlefield obscurants and smoke. The polarimetric imager will consist of a polarized source and a polarization detection imagingsystem. The system will be constructed using visible imagers and a monolithic, division-of-aperture optic to produce a cheap, rugged system suitable for use on the battlefield. Further reductions in size will enable the imager to be the size of acamcorder or even smaller. The Phase I effort consisted of a measurements program on two aerosols at two different wavelengths. This data indicated that significant improvements in contrast are possible using the appropriate combination of illuminatingand detected polarization states and wavelength. The Phase II work will complete the design developed under the Phase I Option; calibrate, test, and demonstrate the instrumentation; test phenomenology; and explore commercial applications for the techniquesdeveloped in this work.The instrumentation development and demonstration will take advantage of SY Technology's capability and expertise in polarization measurements and instrument design. This effort will also capitalize on recent experiments in this area using instrumentationavailable to SY Technology, Inc. and other government partners through research and development agreements.It is anticipated that the imaging polarimeter will significantly enhance a soldier's ability to see through conventional obscurants on thebattlefield, particularly in urban warfare scenarios. Potential commercial applications include aiding a firefighter's ability to see in smoke filled areas, imaging through fog for aircraft and automobiles, remote sensing, and medical imaging.